A mother was at home with her young child in Newport News, Va. when a stranger behaving erratically began trying to force his way into the home through a door. Concerned for herself and her daughter’s safety, the mother retrieved a gun and called police. The man eventually broke into the home through a window. The mother responded to the intrusion by shooting the home invader twice. When police arrived the criminal was taken to a local hospital; he is expected to recover.

In explaining the incident to a local media outlet, the mother told a reporter, “All I knew is I wanted to stop him from hurting me or hurting my daughter.” The mother added, “It doesn’t make it too much easier to know that I can totally handle my worse fear… But along the same lines, it makes me feel more confident I was able to do what I needed to do.” (WTKR, Hampton Roads, Va. 03/12/15)

See more stories of how responsible owners have used their firearms to protect themselves at NRA-ILA Armed Citizen.